Tidal Marsh Vegetation and Elevation Data

Publication Date

2015-05-01

Start Date

2012

End Date

2014

Karen Thorne, USGS Western Ecological Research Center , Research Ecologist, 20150501, Tidal Marsh Soil Surveys, Radiocarbon and 137 Cs data: .

At the state level, California has highlighted coastal ecosystems as important areas susceptible to climate change and have prioritized research to assist in adaptation planning for resource management and ecosystem services. The information emerging from our CERCC network will provide local managers and decision makers with the information they need to address endangered and threatened species management, wetland conservation, anadromous fish and migratory bird management and habitat conservation and recovery plans while making informed decisions on habitat resiliency and land acquisition planning that effectively considers the effects of climate change. Our CERCC network is a research model that can be potentially transferred to other coastal regions throughout the US. The overarching goal of our research was to use site-specific data to develop local and regionally-applicable climate change models that inform management of tidal wetlands along the Pacific Northwest coast. Our overarching questions were: (1) how do tidal marsh site characteristics vary across estuaries, and (2) does tidal marsh susceptibility to SLR vary along a latitudinal gradient and between estuaries? We addressed these questions with three specific objectives: (1) measure topographical and ecological characteristics (e.g., elevation, tidal range, vegetation composition) for tidal marsh and intertidal mudflats, (2) model SLR vulnerability of these habitats, and (3) examine spatial variability of these projected changes along the latitudinal gradient of the California coast.

• National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers
• Southwest CASC

Data source

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